As we go into what will be a very difficult new year, as long as people keep organizing and mobilizing, there will be victories to celebrate. Here is a list of victories to be thankful for, starting with three inspirational women.

Yes, I understand the appeal of the Real Housewives -- and also the way they dull the minds and intellects of all who watch them. Bravo obviously doesn't own a patent on creating garbage, but it is absolutely an industry leader in its production.

A lesson other car-makers have learned the hard way is that buyers want a car that makes a definite statement, which knows its place in the market. A perpetual question mark like Mercury has absolutely no chance of survival.

The Hummer died this week because of a failed deal with China, who determined the monster truck was simply not a good investment. This failure resembles the 1957 Ford Edsel, called a monstrosity of poor design and poor planning.